Tag Archives: Bedford NY Luxury Homes for Sale

Seventy-Nine Homes Proposed Near Downtown Bedford Village | Bedford Real Estate

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Developer Wilder Balter Partners is proposing a 79-home project on a site near Bedford Village’s downtown, a location that Rippowam Cisqua previously sought to use for a high school.

The project, which carries the working title “Bedford Farm,” calls for using the northern portion of a 113-acre site, which is bounded by Old Post Road (Route 22) to the north, Crusher Road to the west, Vinton Avenue to the east and the Mianus River to the south.

Seventy of the homes would be “age-targeted” and consist of single-family and two-unit structures. Nine of the units would be affordable homes and be located across the developed portion of the site.

Additionally, the project calls for a four-acre farm, which would be used for growing produce that residents and local restaurants could use. A full-time farmer would work and live at the site.

Other amenities include a gazebos and a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse containing a gym, potentially a pool, a catering kitchen, a billiards room and a personal-training space.

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http://bedford.dailyvoice.com/news/seventy-nine-homes-proposed-near-downtown-bedford-village

Snow and Housing Starts | #Bedford Real Estate

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Construction on new homes in the United States slumped 17% in February, mostly because of heavy snowfall that sidelined builders in the Northeast and Midwest. But nationwide permits for future construction rose to the second highest level since the end of the Great Recession, suggesting construction will pick up in the spring.

So-called housing starts sank to an annual rate of 897,000 in February from a revised 1.08 million in January, the government said Tuesday. That was well below the estimate of analysts polled by MarketWatch, who predicted that starts would total a seasonally adjusted 1.03 million.

New construction in the Northeast tumbled 56% to mark the lowest rate since 2009, with the number of single-family houses being built slipping to a record low, the Commerce Department reported. Builders were frozen out in many major markets such as the Boston that was buried beneath a record nine feet of snow during the winter.

Starts also sank 37% in the frigid Midwest and 18.2% in the West, but just 2.5% in the South, where almost 50% of all new construction takes place.

At the same time, though, permits for new construction, a sign of future demand, rose 3% to an annual rate of 1.09 million. That’s the highest level since October and the second strongest increase since the end of the recession in mid-2009.

Permits rose in all major regions except for the Northeast, where they dropped 17.4%.

The biggest increase in applications for new construction once again involved multi-dwelling projects such as apartment buildings and townhouse rows. Permits for projects of five units or more jumped nearly 20%, reflecting a postrecession trend in which more people are renting instead of owning, especially younger people.

Permits for single-family homes, which make up three-quarters of the housing market, fell 6.2% compared to the prior month. They were up 2.8% from a year earlier, however.

 

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http://www.marketwatch.com/story/housing-starts-slump-on-winter-weather-2015-03-17?link=MW_Nav_NV

Bedford NY Town Offices Memo | Bedford Real Estate

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A MESSAGE FROM
SUPERVISOR CHRIS BURDICK

Dear Residents,

 

We’re pleased to announce that the Town has launched an annual report, please click here for the  2014 Town of Bedford Annual Report.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

I can be reached at Supervisor@bedfordny.gov or at 666-6530.

Warmest regards,

Chris Burdick

Supervisor

Sale on Kennedy Estate | Bedford Real Estate

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Auctioneers are selling off a bit of Kennedy history this week in the form of Jacqueline Kennedy’s correspondence and other memorabilia surrounding a Virginia estate where the family spent just three weekends before JFK was assassinated.

“You have done the most fantastic job and everyone agrees that house is really a dream. One could not wish for anything more perfect — if only we could live in it all year long! And Jack loves it,” the First Lady gushed in one hand-written letter to the couple that acted as her building agents.

Jaqueline Kennedy

Jackie saw the estate, which she named Wexford House, as an equestrian retreat to rival her husband and his family’s beloved Hyannis Port, MA compound.

Wexford House has been on the market for more than a year, with a price drop from $11 million in late 2013 to $7.95 million, according to listing agent Patricia Burns of Middleburg Real Estate.

“The house was finished in ’63, and they were there for three weekends, the last of which was the weekend before they went to Dallas,” Burns explains. “What’s very special to me about it is that it’s still almost in original condition.”

The stucco home measures 5,050 square feet and has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and an abundance of riding trails. Originally situated on 39 acres, the property today has 167 acres amid rolling hills backed by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There are his and her dressing rooms, multiple fireplaces and built-in cabinets and bookcases. Outside are a pool, tennis court and horse stables with water and electricity, as well as two separate living areas. The detached garage has a bathroom and second-floor studio, and the property includes an underground bomb shelter.

Jacqueline Kennedy’s paper trail reveals the home was paid for by her father-in-law, Joe Kennedy Sr., and that it cost just over $127,000, which was quite a bit more than the $40,000 she’d agreed to. In the book “Last Hundred Days,” author Thurston Clarke says John Kennedy was strongly opposed to building the home but agreed to it because his wife wanted it so much.

The estate has other presidential connections, too. Wexford House was leased by Ronald and Nancy Reagan during the fall 1980 presidential campaign. Reagan rehearsed there for debates with President Jimmy Carter.

 

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http://www.zillow.com/blog/sale-on-kennedy-estate-virginia-169645/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ZillowBlog+%28Zillow+Blog%29

How to Borrow Light | Bedford Real Estate

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In 1915 the 38-story Equitable Building in New York City was the largest office building in the world. Containing 1.2 million square feet of office space, it consumed nearly every available square foot of its diminutive lot and cast an equally large shadow on its neighborhood in lower Manhattan. Its construction inspired the enactment of the city’s 1916 Zoning Resolution, which was designed to preserve access to light and air at the street level. The resolution prescribed specific limitations for a building’s envelope — its outer walls — and would go on to shape the stepped forms that you see today on many of the iconic towers in the city.This underscores the importance that access to daylight had in shaping even the largest of cities, the individual buildings that make up those cities and, more broadly, sensible building design. With an increasing focus on sustainable design practices, the smart use of natural daylight in our homes is no longer a luxury — it has become a necessity. At the heart of any good daylighting strategy is a concept of “borrowed” light: the capture of light falling on the exterior of a home and transporting it to the spaces where it’s needed.

Industrial Hall by Renzo J Nakata Architects
Renzo J Nakata Architects
The sun delivers an incredible amount of light energy to us each day. To get an idea of just how much, it helps to understand the standard by which we use to measure light intensity: the foot-candle. The light from a full moon is roughly 1 foot-candle, while the sun’s illuminance on a cloudless day is roughly 10,000 foot-candles. Of course, clouds and the filtering effects of glass can reduce the actual amount of light that reaches the interiors of our homes by 50 to 90 percent. But 1,000 to 5,000 foot-candles is still an amazing amount of light, given that we need only around 35 foot-candles to comfortably read by.
Contemporary Bedroom by Fougeron Architecture FAIA
Fougeron Architecture FAIA
Harnessing this light energy isn’t as simple as placing a window on an exterior wall. Interior rooms without access to an exterior wall or spaces oriented in a way that restricts access to adequate daylight are common problems, each with a unique solution. Here’s a look at some solutions.Walls. Interior walls built to collect and disperse light rather than restrict it are one solution. The wall shown here gathers indirect light from an adjacent light-filled bathroom and capitalizes on the reflective nature of the bath’s wall surfaces to diffuse it into the bedroom. Clear glass will transmit the greatest amount of light into adjacent spaces. And because the glass here is positioned above eye level, the bath remains private and sound-isolated.

Contemporary Bathroom by Fougeron Architecture FAIA
Fougeron Architecture FAIA
The white walls of the same bathroom act as the indirect light source for the nearby bedroom. Bright, neutral colors work well for an indirect borrowed-lighting strategy.Good solar exposure is borrowed by the bedroom simply via the glazed upper wall.

Industrial Living Room by Jane Kim Design
Jane Kim Design
Because translucent materials reflect, absorb and scatter light, they make great walls for borrowing light. The degree of translucency will affect just how much light is scattered. The effect is similar to obscuring direct sight but preserving the passage of daylight. Diffused light is comfortable and limits eyestrain.
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http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/41868847?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u989&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery1

Gasoline Prices Down 21% for the Year | Bedford Real Estate

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The consumer price index fell for the second consecutive month due to a large decrease in the price of gasoline. On a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis the consumer price index fell 0.4%. Over the past twelve months, prices on expenditures made by urban consumers increased just 0.8% before seasonal adjustments. The falling price of gasoline is positive for consumers in the short-term as this frees up income to spend on other goods and services.

Falling gasoline prices also pushed down the energy price index which fell for the sixth consecutive month. The gasoline index, a component of the energy price index, fell on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis 9.4% and over the past twelve months is down 21%. However, not all components of the energy index fell. The electricity index increased 0.8% for the month and the natural gas index increased 1.5% for the month.

The price of food increased for the month and has shown steady growth over the year. The food index increased 0.3% for the month and over the past twelve months increased 3.4% before seasonal adjustments. After declining in November, the index for dairy saw an increase of 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 0.3% for the month.

Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile food and energy prices, was unchanged for the month. Over the past twelve months core CPI increased 1.6% before seasonal adjustments.

Chart_1

The shelter index rose 0.2% month-over-month in December after increasing 0.3% month-over-month in November. Over the past twelve months, the shelter index increased 2.9% before seasonal adjustments.

Because shelter costs represent a large share of the average consumer’s expenditures, a 0.2% month-over-month increase is worth exploring further. Although the increase in the shelter index partly reflects increases in rental prices, the BLS measure does not isolate the change in rental prices from the changes in the overall price index. NAHB constructs a real rent price index to isolate the change in rental prices. The NAHB constructed measure indicates whether inflation in rents is faster or slower than general inflation and provides some insight into the supply and demand conditions for rental housing, after controlling for overall inflation.

The NAHB constructed real rent index increased 0.2% in December month-over-month. Over the past year, growth in real rental prices outpaced growth in the CPI. Real rental prices rose by 1.7% from December 2013.

Chart_2

 

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http://eyeonhousing.org/2015/01/gasoline-prices-down-21-for-the-year/

Picking a real estate agent | Bedford Real Estate

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The proliferation of online real estate information makes it easier than ever to be an informed consumer when buying or selling a home. Yet the digital revolution has done little to lessen the importance of choosing the right real estate agent to work with you.

The right agent can help you buy your dream house or sell your existing home quickly. The wrong agent can botch the transaction, leaving you with egg on your face and nowhere to call home.

Despite the high stakes, many buyers and sellers give little thought to choosing an agent, whether they’re buying or selling.

It takes a lot of commitment and a great deal of energy to keep up with the offerings from Innisfil real estate agents, but they do have a wealth of offerings. A few areas they really love to serve are Fordsbridge, Orpington, Cambridge, Oakbury, Belmont, Fairfield Village, North Cambridge, Sudbury, West Springfield, and more. So if you need a little bit of proof that there’s life after real estate, check out the many offerings from Innisfil and see what they can offer you! You won’t be disappointed.

“They get dazzled by these great listing presentations,” says Michael Soon Lee, regional manager of Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate in Walnut Creek, California, who likens the relationship to dating. “It’s a longtime, intimate, trusting relationship. If it doesn’t start out feeling good at the beginning, it’s probably not going to get any better.”

Get recommendations from friends and relatives, and see which agents are buying and selling the most homes in your neighborhood. Read online reviews, but realize they don’t tell the whole story, since most clients, satisfied or dissatisfied, don’t write reviews. Interview three or four real estate agents to find the one who is the best fit for you.

[ Ready to shop for a home loan? Click to compare interest rates from lenders now.]

Most real estate agents are independent contractors who are paid a commission based on the number of homes they sell. The commission, paid from the sales proceeds, is usually split equally between the listing agent and the selling agent. Once the deal is closed, each of those agents usually has to pay a share to the broker who owns the office where he or she is affiliated.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how many listings the real estate agent has, how many homes she has sold in your area, how often she will communicate with you — and in what format — and who she will represent in the transaction.

If you’re a seller, ask how the agent will market your home, who the target buyer is and how he will get your home in front of those preferred buyers.

If you’re a buyer, ask how often the agent will send you listings and whether he has worked with other buyers in your situation. A transaction involving a Federal Housing Association or VA loan, for example, includes some steps that aren’t required for a conventional loan. Some buyers may want to sign a buyer-broker agreement, agreeing to pay a share of the commission if the agent shows them homes where the seller won’t pay a commission, such as for-sale-by-owner houses or new construction properties.

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https://homes.yahoo.com/news/9-red-flags-to-watch-for-when-picking-a-real-estate-agent-003857033.html

Bedford Happenings | Bedford Real Estate

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Town of Bedford Recreation News
Upcoming December Events & Programs

BREAKFAST WITH FROSTY 
Saturday December 13
8:30 – Breakfast and visit with Frosty 
9:00 – Entertainment – Mario the Magician

For Ages 1 – 8 with Adult 
$6.00 per person preregistered 
$10.00 at the door if space is available 
 
Click here for the registration form

 THUNDER RIDGE SKI/SNOWBOARD PROGRAM
Got snow? Have you always wanted to learn how to ski or snowboard? Here’s your chance to get off the bunny slopes and traverse down those hills! Bedford Recreation in cooperation with Thunder Ridge Ski area is offering ski lessons (gr. 1 and up) and snowboard lessons (gr. 3 and up)
Click here for more information and registration form.

GLOW IN THE DARK YOGA PARTY 
Calling all 7 – 11 year olds! Join the party & fun at this amazing glowing event! Create colorful art, move to music, do some yoga, all while glowing in the dark!

Friday,  December 5

6:00- 8:00 pm
Bedford Hills Community House 
$50.00 per participant 
Please wear white or neon colors for the best glow experience!
Pre-registration is required
Click here for registration form

BUILD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE 
Construct your own Gingerbread House and decorate it too!
This is a fun creative program for grades 2 – 6
 
Sat. December 13
12:30 – 2:30
Bedford Hills Community House
$25.00 (includes lunch)
 Click here for registration form

DEFENSIVE DRIVING 
Learn to drive defensively; earn an insurance reduction; take points off your license. This program is offered in cooperation with the Bedford Police Dept. For ages 16+

Saturday,  December 6

9:00am- 3:30 pm
Bedford Hills Community House
$19.00 to “Town of Bedford”
$11.00 to “National Safety Council
Pre-registration required and a bag lunch recommended.
Click here for registration form

SENIOR HOLIDAY LUNCHEON 

 

WEDNESDAY – DECEMBER 10

   11:00 am – 2:00pm

$5.00 per person

Reservations are required & currently being accepted.

Call 666-7203 today!

For more information on senior adult programs call 666-7203

   

 

IT”S HERE
The 2015 Winter Brochure is now available on-line!
Click here to view the Winter Brochure

ICE SKATING 
@ HARVEY SCHOOL 
Bring your skates and take a few laps around the rink!
Friday November 28 
and 
Friday December 26 
12:45 – 2:45 PM
$5.00 per person 

OUTDOOR ICE SKATING 
Ice skating will be available at the Bedford Hills Memorial Park, Lake Marie and Cherry Ridge Lake on Lakeside Drive in Katonah. Weather and conditions permitting. Appropriate signage will be posted at each site indicating whether the lakes are safe for skating.
 

Basketball Basics 
Great introductory basketball program for boys & girls in grades 2-4
Program starts Saturday, December 6 and is held at Katonah Elementary School
2nd grade: 9:00am
3rd grade: 10:00am
4th grade: 11:00am
Click here for registration form or stop by our office to register today!

SANTA’A MAILBOX 
“SANTA’S REINDEER EXPRESS”

will be arriving at the Recreation Department after Thanksgiving to accept letters to Santa.
Please make sure all letters include child’s name, age and return address.
For grades K- 3
Letters must be in to the office by Dec. 12.
Contact Us
Town of Bedford
Recreation and Parks Department
914-666-7004 (office)
914-864-3777 (hotline)
We respect your right to privacy. The Town of Bedford will not contact any person who submits an email address for any purpose other than the original intended communication. E-mail addresses will not be disclosed to a third party, unless required by law.

Edwardian cottage gets a radical renovation | Bedford Real Estate

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A desire for family togetherness drove the design of this award-winning addition, which has transformed a traditional Edwardian house into a relaxing home for the owners that contrasts old and new with finesse. Cleaning these houses may be  pain, but when cleaning dust from the air, an air purifier is the best option for you to keep the air in your house fresh.  “They liked the Edwardian house but wanted the additions to feel distinctly modern and spacious, but not open plan,” says Dig Design architect Lindsay Douglas. “Introspective spaces of the existing home were to transform into light-filled spaces at the rear.”

Contemporary Deck by Dig Design
Dig Design
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young daughter and son
Location: Brighton, Melbourne
Size: 2,400 square feet (223 square meters); 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
by Dig Design
Dig Design
BEFORE: This is the back of the house prior to the renovation.
Contemporary Deck by Dig Design
Dig Design
AFTER: What a difference! The back deck not only extends the living area and provides shade; it transforms this family home into a cutting-edge abode that’s earned its designers numerous awards.
read more….
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/33847265?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u810&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery2